FRACKVILLE - During its special meeting on Dec. 26, the Frackville Borough Council formally adopted its 2013 operating budget with a reduction in the proposed tax increase.
The borough council's tentative budget was adopted on Dec. 12 with a planned 2-mill real estate tax increase, but the tax levy was reduced to 1.5 mills in last week's budget vote.
Real estate taxes will increase to 17.08 mills, up from the 2012 rate of 15.58 mills. The assessed value of a mill is $46,000.
The budget also includes a $5 increase in the quarterly garbage collection fee, raising it from $65 to $70 per quarter, or $20 per year.
The vote was 5-1 to approve the $1.9 million budget. Council members Ronald Jordan, Peter Zuber, Charles Berger, John Morgan and Karen Domalakes voted in favor, with Bradley Gotshall voting against. Brian Dillman was absent.
After the tentative adoption in a 6-1 vote (Gotshall voted against) Dec. 12, the council met in additional budget workshops to review and tweak the budget to reduce the tax increase if possible.
In other business, borough office staff members covered by Blue Cross-Blue Shield medical insurance will pay 10 percent of the medical co-pays in 2013. At a previous meeting, the council approved medical co-pay mandate for employees, but a vote was taken at the Dec. 26 meeting on a motion by Berger to rescind the mandate. The vote was a 3-3 tie, with Berger, Domalakes and Zuber voting for the motion to rescind. Jordan, Gotshall and Morgan voted against. To break the tie, Mayor Kim Phillips was allowed to vote. Her vote was against the motion, which means the co-pays stay in place.
